Towns of Poland, [no. 44]

Salt mines and mining -- Poland

Carving (Decorative arts) -- Poland

RELIGIOUS FIGURES CARVED BY MINERS IN 900-YEAR OLD POLISH SALT MINE
Devoutly religious and with an inborn flair for sculpture these figures
portraying Christ changing water into wine at the vvedding feast were carved
in salt by ordinary laborers in the 900- year old Wieliczka salt mines, near
Cracow, Poland's ancient capital. They constitute one of many groups in
the ornately carved chapel of St. Kinga, who is reputed to have miraculously
discovered the mine more than 900 years ago while on her way to be crowned
queen of Poland. Throughout the centuries these miners have carved devotional
images in the vast maze of subterranean passages and chambers but many
of them have been partly erased by the erosion of salt due to the dampness
or the earth.

Centralna Agencja Fotograficzna

State University of New York at Buffalo. Polish Collection

State University of New York at Buffalo. University Libraries

NO COPYRIGHT – UNITED STATES. The organization that has made the Item available believes that the Item is in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States, but a determination was not made as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. The Item may not be in the Public Domain under the laws of other countries. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information.

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pol

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LIB-007_0469

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Krakow

Towarzystwo Łączności z Polonią Zagraniczną "Polonia” Collection. LIB-007